IMMUNOTHERAPY FOR CANCER

Immunotherapy is the most promising new cancer treatment approach since the development of the first chemotherapies in the late 1940s. Two main types of cancer immunotherapies are currently being evaluated: a) Antigen-targeted immunotherapy: tumors express Tumor-Associated-Antigens (TAA) which can be used to activate immune mechanisms able to eliminate transformed cells. The list of effective TAA is still very limited; therefore it is imperative to propose and experimentally evaluate new ones. b) The second type of cancer immunotherapy is based on bypassing a plethora of immunosuppressive mechanisms that tumors activate to foster a tolerogenic microenvironment. Nowadays, active investigation is devoted to both types of immunotherapies but in general as separate entities; one of our projects propose a preclinical evaluation of a simple immunization procedure that combines for the first time both types of therapies. In summary, our results will significantly contribute to the design of novel anticancer therapeutic strategies which, in combination with current treatments, will be of paramount clinical benefit in patients with solid cancers.